This country’s fire safety legislation doesn’t just apply to equipment and escape routes. It designates that, as the landlord or property owner of a workplace or multi-residential premises, you need to also ensure that people can actually find those things, amongst other safety-focused directives, via compliant fire safety signs.
BS 5499 covers all aspects of safety signage, which includes those relating to fire safety best practices. With so many colours, instructions and things to think about, we thought we’d put together a quick guide to let you in on the differences between them and what each type of sign is used for.
Blue Fire Safety Signs:
- Are circular in shape with white text/graphics
- Indicate a mandatory action which you must take
The blue fire safety sign you’re probably most used to seeing is the common “Fire door keep shut”. Blue signs are used to advise people on certain things which must be done in the area surrounding it (including simple things such as “keep clear”), in order to contribute towards a safer environment. As a landlord or property owner, you’re legally required to have these clearly marking any areas we outline as needing them with regards to fire safety actions.
Red Fire Safety Signs:
- Have a solid red background with white text/graphics
- Indicate the location of fire safety equipment or offer directives to guide people towards safety, such as pointing arrows or explaining how to use certain pieces of equipment.
It’s important to ensure these are clearly visible, placed usually at eye level or higher in order to grab attention. Red fire safety signs are also sometimes used to help fire-fighting services navigate the building, by numbering them for reference.
Prohibition Signs:
- Are circular in shape with a red outline, white background and black image
- Explain what you must not do in the area with safety in mind
Signs like this are sometimes so commonplace that we barely notice them anymore! The “no smoking” sign in particular. If you’re responsible for a property, make sure you place relevant prohibition signs everywhere that matters – even if it seems obvious. Whilst you can’t force people to obey them, you can at least do your bit to encourage better fire safety practices by reiterating the measures to be taken and the things not to do.
Finally, of course, are your classic green fire exit signs, which should clearly indicate the most direct route to safety in the event of an emergency. From start to finish there’s a lot to think about, but each one of these fire safety signs has the potential to make all the difference in the event of a real fire – so it’s a seemingly small aspect of your fire risk assessment which we take seriously.
And we’re here to help as a result. Don’t get overwhelmed by what needs to go where, how many and why – that’s our job. If you require assistance with signage or any other aspect of enforcing solid fire safety practices in your building, we’d love to help. Get in touch today.